Earth working and treating implement



July 18, 1950 H. E. SCHINDLER EARTHWORKING AND TREATING IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1947 w t H E V I Henry E. Schindler and July 18, 19 50 H. E. SCHINDLER EARTHWORKING AND TREATING IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1947 Av m a @Pdms J Henry -E. Schindler B] @110 Patented July 18, 1950 EARTH Won-KING AND TREATING v; MPLEMENT I.

This invention relates to an earthwworking I and treating implement and has for its primary object to inject atreating fluid -in the'soiL-Ypreparatory to planting or the like.-

Another. object is to destroy quack grass, weeds {y and insects which may 1 have found harbor 'in the soil immediately beneath its surface.- 1

A still further object is to loosen and work the soil, and to inject the treating fluidin--the soil immediately after its loosening and-working.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a drag adapted to be advanced along the surface of the earth; said drag having downwardly directed fluid discharge orifices opening through its bottom, means on the drag adjacent its forward end to open the'sur face of the earth over which the-drag is advanced and means for conducting'anearthtreating fluid to the orifices for'discharge therefrom and injection into the earth opened by I the earth opening means. I

Other features include a depending-side flange along each longitudinaledge of the drag for confining the treating fluid to the earth lyingbeneath the drag, atransverse row of spaced earth opening knives mounted on the drag "adjacent its forward end to open the surface ofthe earth overwhich the drag is advanced, and a-transversely extending row of "spaced stalk and'root cutting disks mounted on the drag-in advance of the knives. 1

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an'earthopening and treating implement'embodyingthe feai tures of this invention,

Figure 2 is a'top plan View thereof, certain portions being broken away-more clearly to illustrate certain details of construction,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 ofiFigure'2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and Figure 5 is a transverse sectional viewon a somewhat enlarged scale taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 2. 1 1

Referring to the drawings in detail; a shoe plate I0 is provided at spaced intervals with orifices I I which project through the bottom thereof as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 5. Formed at the forward end of the shoe plate I0 is an upwardly inclined extension I2 to which a tow chain I3 is attached for coupling to a towing cable I4 which is connected to any suitable traction vehicle, such as a farm sent'a smooth unbroken surface to tractors Formed'in the shoe plate I0 adjacent the upturnedextension I2 is a transverserow of spaced longitudinally extending slots I5 the purpose of which will be more-fully hereinafter explained. Extending upwardly'fromthe upper surface of the shoeplate Ill adjacent -the-upwardly inclined portion I2, and between the slots I5 are spaced parallel reinforcing and bearing supporting members I6 which are provided with aligned apertures I! for the reception of atransversely extending supporting shaft I8, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafterexplained. Depending from the shoe plate Ill-along opposite longitudinal edges are flahges I9 which as illustrated in- Figure 1, are adapted to be slightly imbedded in the surface of 'the earth being treated to form a substantially fluid-tight junction therewitha Seated on the upper face of the" shoe plate- I0 is aspacer plate'20 which is provided with spaced parallel longitudinally extending slots 2I opening therethrough and which are joined adjacent one end with a'transversely extending slot 22. As illustrated in Figure 2, the slots 2I are arranged to communicate with spaced parallel rows of the openings II, and seated on the upper side of the spacer plate 20- is a cover plate 23 which serves to close the open upper sides of the slots 2I and thus form a plurality of spaced parallel passages which communicate with'one another through the slot 22. Opening into the cover plate 23 adjacent its forwardend is an internally screw-threaded orifice 24 surrounded by an internally screw-threaded boss 25 into which is threaded a feed pipe 26" for the fluid used in the treatment of the earth. The

cover plate and spacer plates are held in proper position on the shoe plate In by means ofbolts 26, the heads of which-are countersunk in the bottom of the shoe plate In so that it will-pres t e earth over which the device is dragged. j Bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to'theunderside of the shoe plate It] is a transverselyex tending row of spaced knives 21 the forward sharpened edge 28 of each of which curves rearwardly and downwardly as will be readily understoodupon reference to Figure 3. It will thus be seen that as the drag thus produced is advanced along the surface of the earth, the knives 2'! will serve to loosen the earth so that when fluid under pressure is introduced into the pipe 25, it will be discharged through the openings or orifices II knives.

21. Obviously, suitable gaskets 3| may be interposed between the plates l0, 2ll and23 iniorder to efiect a fluid-tight junction between the plates.

In use, with the plates assembled as indicated in the drawings and previously described, the complete drag is coupled to any-suitablertractor through the medium of the flexible member I4, and the pipe 26 is coupled as by pipe 32 to asuitable source of treating .fiuid. The treating fluid zmaiywbeglive steam, :and upon-advancing the .drag along the snrrace or the earth :it will :be :evident zthat thewdisksill cut the :stalks and roots ar-vegetable :matter while the knives 2 I following in the grooves made :by :the disks .29 will serve to loosen rt-he .soil immediately beneath the roots and, (stalks. the zorifices l-l arranged ..-in parallel rows, which a-lign with the knives and disks .2 .and 29respectlvel-y :it will be evident that :the streatingifiuideor steam :which isvdirect'ed into the passagesin :the .-drag ithrough rthe pipe .261will '.-be-:c1ischarged through the orifices H .and

injected (into the earth opened by the disks :and By thus injecting the steam into the vearth it iwill be evidentsthatany weeds or other =vegetable matter,2as--.well gas-insects and the .like, will be destroyed by :the sterilizing effect of the heated wa-por. vAt the same time, the produc- .tivitypf the-earth so treated will in.no way be impaired for .=the reason that as soon as :the heat of the-steam is dissipated its .destructiv .efiect .is-eliminated. .Obviously,ifsodesiredanytreat- .ing fluid, such as adiquid or gaseous fertilizer rmay-be introduced into the-earth through the-use .of the apparatus just described, when .the conditions 50 warrant.

While in the foregoing .there has -been shown and-described the preferred embodiment .of this invention, .-it is to be understood that minor .changes in the detailsof construction, combinaition :and arrangement .of v parts may be resorted towithout departing .from the spirit -and scope .of theinventioniasclaimed.

I-Iaving .described the invention, .what is ,cla-imedzas new is .1. .Anearth workingand treating .drag adapted .to be advanced incontact with 'the surface .of .the ,earth comprising -aniearth contacting shoe plate having .fiuid discharge orifices .openi-ng there- .through,-.means .carriedby ltheshoe .plate adjacent its forward .end .to open .the surface of the earth cover which (it is advanced and means for directing earth treating fluid downwardly tthrough .the orifices for injectioninto .theearth opened by .theearthopening means.

.2. An earth working andtreating drag .a-dapted to be advanced .in contact with the surface of ill-8x83111711 comprising anearith contacting shoe ,plate, having fluid discharge orifices opening .therethrough, means carried by the .shoe plate opened by the earth opening means, and a depending side fiange along each-longitudinal edge of the shoe plate for cooperation with said shoe plate in forming a hood which confines the treating fluid to that area of the earth which lies beneath the drag.

3. An earth working and treating drag adapted to be advanced in contact with the surface of the earth :comprising an earthcontacting shoe plate having fluid discharge orifices opening therethrough, an upwardly inclined extension at the forward end of the shoe plate, a transverse row of spaced earth opening knives carried by 'shoe plate adjacent the extension to open the surface of the earth over which the shoe plate is advancedand means for directing earth treating fluid downwardly through the orifices for injection into the earth opened by the earth opening knives.

4. An earth working and treating drag adapted to pe -advanced in contact with the surface of the .aearth comprising :an earth contacting shoe plate having :fluid edischarge orifices opening therethrough, an xupwardly inclined extension at thefonward end of (the .-shoe plate, :a transverse row of spaced .eartlnopening knives .carried by the shoe plate iadjacent :the extension to 'open the surface .Of :the earth -.over which -.the sho plate is advanced, smeans :tfiQI' directing earth treating fluid :dow-nwardly ethrough-the orifices for injec- 131011211130 the earth-opened by the earth opening knives-, anda groupofsspaced stall: and root cut- .ti-ng disks carried (by the shoe ,platein advance ofthewknives. V

.5. Ameanth working and treating drag adapted to toe-advanced along .thesurfaceof the earth for opening the earth and injecting treating fluid thereinto .comprisi-ng a .bottom. shoe plate having a plurality -.of.-.spa.ced :discharge orifices opening through athe rbottom thereof, an upwardly invclinedcentensicm at the iorwardendofsaid shoe plate, a spacer plate having spaced parallel longitudinally :extending slots opening therethrough and a wtransyerseslot establishing communication between the :longitudinalslots, the spacer plate being mounted on .the .upper side .of the shoe rplate with the .slots in .the spacer plate .cornmunicatingwith the orifices in theshoelplate, a :coverplate onthe spacer plate and elosing the .open npper sidessof .the parallel .slots to form passages within the drag,v earth opening .means carried by the shoe plate adjacent .theiupturned extension and means for conducting .earth Ltreating fluidinto .the passages ior discharge through the orificesand injection .into the earth opened by the earth opening means.

- .HENRYLE. SCHINDLER.

JIhe dollowing I'EefBIGI-IBTBS are .of record .in the file of *zthiS :patent: 

